Tunku Idris urged Johoreans to stop playing the blame game.

JOHOR BARU: Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Ibni Sultan Ibrahim has hit out at those encouraging others to gather and protest against the driver involved in the accident which killed eight teenage cyclists on Feb 18.

In an Instagram post of a picture of the protest details, Tunku Idris urged Johoreans to stop playing the blame game and to not turn the incident into a racial issue.

“What is this ridiculous notice going around? Is this how civilised Johoreans behave?” he wrote, adding that he hoped Johoreans would not support gatherings that promoted hatred towards an individual.

Tunku Idris also said that he had personally encountered teenage cyclists swerving dangerously in front of his car.

“To the families who have lost their loved ones, I’m sorry. I too have lost a family member so I know how you feel. I hope you find peace and strength during this difficult time.

What is this ridiculous notice going around? Is this how civilised Johorean behave? Stop playing the blame game. To the families that has lost their loved ones I’m sorry, I too have lost a family member so I know how you feel. I hope you find peace and st

“Let’s not blame the parents and let’s not blame the lady driver, (as) she has more right to be on the highway than the underage kids on bicycles with no helmets or other protection gear,” he added.

He encouraged the people to come up with a better solution to avoid a repeat of the tragedy.

An invitation calling on cyclists to gather at Dataran Bandaraya at 8am Saturday to protest against the driver had been making its round on social media.

The protest did not materialise, but seven teenagers were detained near the area at 10am.

In the Feb 18, eight teenage cyclists were killed and a further eight injured when a car ploughed into them.

The cyclists were part of joyriding groups whose members modify their bicycles, some even to the extent of removing the brakes.